"Thelma & Louise" was an instant hit when it debuted in 1991, and wowed audiences by portraying women in a manner previously unseen on the silver screen. It was also the filmic debut of a young Brad Pitt, and both Sarandon and Davis said in their interview that after his audition, they knew instantly "he really was something special."

When asked to think back on the movie's legacy and enormous impact on the American zeitgeist, each described feelings of surprise.

"What's struck me is that there were two fantastic equal parts for women. Also, I don't think any of us knew it would strike a nerve the way it did," said Davis.

"I've always thought of it as a cowboy movie with women instead of guys on horses," said Sarandon. "But it was pretty shocking that people were so threatened by it. I didn't see that coming at all. Like somehow we had backed into the territory long held only by white heterosexual men of a certain age."

Sarandon said that after director Ridley Scott approached them with the script they were adamant about keeping the ending — they wanted to die in the cliff scene.

"I said to Ridley, 'I hope we're not gonna shoot this and then you test it and then we end in Club Med. If I'm gonna play that part, I want to make sure that I know where it's going.' And he said, 'I can tell you that you will definitely die. But I'm not sure about Thelma. You may push her out of the car at the last minute.'"

"But I earned the right to die!" Davis recalls saying at the time.

The actresses revealed that at one point they were approached about filming a sequel, but said they were glad they declined, leaving the movie to stand in the spotlight all by itself.